Inaugurating an awareness programme on ill effects of tobacco on Tuesday, Commissioner of Police Seemant Kumar Singh said every strata of society had been affected because of tobacco.

The Indian Dental Association's Mangalore branch held an awareness programme on ill effects of tobacco consumption at the office of Mangalore Police Commissioner on Tuesday.

Inaugurating an awareness programme on ill effects of tobacco on Tuesday, Commissioner of Police Seemant Kumar Singh said every strata of society had been affected because of tobacco. There had been health problems because of active smoking and because of passive smoking. He asked his personnel to spread awareness among their friends and relatives about the ill effects of tobacco consumption.

Suresh Chandra from the A.J. Institute of Dental Sciences said nearly 5 lakh people died every year in the country because of ailments resulting from tobacco consumption. Dr. Chandra lamented lack of efforts on the part of the Government in taking stringent measures against tobacco industries.

Murali Mohan, president of Mangalore chapter of the IDA spoke.

Students from the A.J. Institute staged a play on the ill effects of tobacco.

Free dental check up of the police personnel had been done in the mobile dental unit of the institute.